Speed-changing mechanism.



L. R. & L. BLEITZ.

SPEED CHANGING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30, 1911.

1,036,531, Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPn 50.. wAsmNuToN. n. c.-

um sra'ras PATENT orrion.

LOUIS R. BLEITZ AND LOUIS BLEITZ, 013 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SPEED-CHANGING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Louis B. Bnm'rz and Lows BLEITZ, citizens of theUnited States of America, and residents of Los Angeles, in the county ofLos Angeles, State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Speed-Changing Mechanisms, of which the following is aspeclfication.

This invention relates to that class of speed changing mechanisms inwhich a plurality of pairs of friction wheels of varying diameters arearranged intermediate of the driving and driven shafts, and adapted forselective engagement to attain the required speed of rotation of thedriven shaft. And the present improvement has for its object a simpleand efficient arrangement and combination of parts, whereby a series ofvariable speeds, and a direct drive, as well as a reverse rotation ofthe driven shaft, can be obtained at will, all as will hereinafter morefully appear. I

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a plan View, partly insection, of a speed changing mechanism embodying the present invention.Fig. 2, is a transverse sectional elevation on line ww, Fig. 1. Fig. 3,is a fragmentary longitudinal section, on line a?-00, Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the main supporting frame of anyusual and suitable construction, and in or upon which is supported inlongitudinal alinement the respective driving shaft 2 and driven shaft 3of the mechanism.

4, is a clutch member of any ordinary construction keyed or otherwise,secured to one end of the driving shaft 2, and 5 is an opposed clutchmember loosely mounted on an adjacent portion of the driven shaft 3. Thesaid clutch members are in separated relation to provide space for anintermediate sliding clutch member now to be described and which isadapted to have alternate clutch engagement with the aforesaid opposedclutch members 4 and 5.

6, is the sliding clutch member above re- Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed August 30, 1911.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

Serial No. 646,872.

ferred to, and which is slidingly connected to the driven shaft 3, by aspline or like connection which permits of a sliding movement betweenthe parts, while preventing any independent rotation of one part withrelation to the other.

7, is a peripheral groove in the middle portion of the clutch member 6,for engagement with the end of an ordinary operating lever, or otherlike means whereby a sliding adjustment can be imparted to the clutchmember 6, by the operator, to effect the following results: First, toleave the clutch member 6 in a central position out of engagement withthe two opposed clutch members t and 5, so that no rotation can beimparted to the driven shaft 3; second, to engage said clutch member 6,with the clutch member 4, of the driving shaft 2, to attain a directdriving engagement between said driving and driven shafts, and third, toengage said clutch member 6, with the loose clutch member 5, on thedriven shaft 3, to attain a driving connection between said driven shaftand the intermediate driving mechanism hereinafter described.

8, is a sprocket wheel secured to the loose clutch member 5, so as torotate in unison therewith, and adapted to have driven connection withthe above mentioned intermediate driving mechanism by means hereinafterdescribed.

9 is a countershaft journaled on the main frame 1, in parallel'relationto the driving 'shaft 2, aforesaid, and having one of its journal boxes10, connected to said frame in a sliding manner, so that movement of thecountershaft 9, to and from the driving shaft 2, may be attained, forthe purpose hereinafter stated.

7 11, is an operating rod or link connected to the boX 10, for effectingan adjustment of the boX 10 and the countershaft 9 journaled therein, inthe operation of reversing the direction of rotation of the mechanism ashereinafter more fully set forth.

12, is a sprocket wheel secured to the countershaft 9, and connected tothe sprocket wheel 8, of the loose clutch member 5, aforesaid, by anendless chain 13, to afford an the countershaft 9;. aforesaid. Saidfrictionwheels are of different diameters and the peripheries of eachpair of said frictionwheels 14, 15, 16, 17, have separated rela:

tion, normally, and. driving connection between the peripheries of therespective pairs, is attained by the adjustable intermediate idlerfriction wheels or pulleys hereinafter deSCr-ibed; Said separatedrelation is al- Yways the case with the pair of friction wheels 14, 16-, farthest removed from the adjust-able journal box 10, but is notalways the case with the pair of friction wheels 15, 17, which areadapted by an adjustment of said box 10, by the operator, tobe broughtinto direct frictional driving contact, as illustrated in Fig. 3, toprovide areverse rotation of the driven shaft 3, through the aforesaidchain and sprocket wheel connections 8, l2 and 13, thesliding clutchmember 6, being in engagement with the clutch member 5 of said drivenshaft.

18 and 19 are pairs of the intermediate idler wheels or pulleys abovereferred to, and eachpairis individual to, and arranged above and belowaplane intersecting the axes of the-before described pairs of frictionwheels, 14, 15, 16 and 1 7, on the driving to. be brought intofrictional: contact withshaft 2, and countershaft 9. Each pair of saidintermediate idler wheels l8 and 19 are individually adjustable to andfrom each other by means hereinafter described, so as the respectivepairs of friction wheels 14, 16. and 15, 17, to frictionally transmitthe motion of the driving shaft 2, to the countershaft 9, at varyingspeeds, depending upon. the varying diametersof the aforesaid pairs offriction wheels that are brought into engagement.

20, 21, are pairs'of guideways, securedin a vertical position to themain frame 1, to

- provldeguidmg engagement for the vertical side bars of the pair ofvyoke frames 22, 23, in whichthe upper intermediate idler wheelsaforesaid are journaled. In the preferred construction shown in. thedrawings, said vertical side bars are made tubular, and provideguidewaysfor the vertical side bars or rods of; the companion yoke frames 24, 25,inwhich the lower intermediate idler wheels aforesaid: are journaled.

The upper cross bars 26, 27, of the respective yoke frames 22, 23, 24,25, are in ad,- jacentand separated relation and the intervening; spacesreceive the hereinafter described cam, mechanisms by which the pairs of;intermediate idlerwheel's 18 and 19 car- '31 are intermediate revolublecam members interposed between said non-revoluble cam members 28 and 29,and adapted to force said fixed cam members apart when said revolublecam members are rotated in one direction.

32, 33, are individual arms on the respective revoluble cam members 30,31, aforesaid and 34, 35 are operating links connected to said arms, andadapted when moved by the operator to impart the required rotationtoeither revoluble cam member, aforesaid and in either direction.

In the construction shown, the yoke frames 24, 25,. are adapted to movedownward by gravity to attain a disengagement of the lower intermediateidler wheels aforesaid from the friction wheels 14, 15, 16 and 17 beforedescribed. While the other yoke frames 22;. 23, receive a yieldingupward tendency by the suspension springs 36, 37, to attain adisengagement of the upper intermediate idler wheels aforesaid from thefriction wheels, 14, 15, 16 and 17.

Having thus fully described our said invention what we claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters; Patent, is:

1.. In a speed changing mechanism, the combination of a driving anddriven shaft arranged in longitudinal alinement, a clutch mechanismarranged at the meeting ends of said shafts, a series of friction wheelsattached to the driving shaft, a countershaft journaled in parallelrelation to the driving shaft, a seriesof friction wheels attached tosaid countershaft, pairs of idler wheels individual to companion pairsof the aforesaid friction wheels of the driving shaft and countershaft,individual carriers for said idler wheels, means for imparting movementto; said carriers in. opposite directions, the same comprisingnon-revoluble cam, members 011 the carriers and revoluble cam membersengaging said non-revoluble cam, members, and an operative connectionbetween the countershaft. and the driven shaft, substantially as setforth.

2. In a speed changing mechanism, the combination of a driving anddriven shaft arranged in longitudinal alinement, a clutch mechanismarranged, at the meeting ends of said shafts, a. series of frictionwheels attached to the driving; shaft, a countershaft journaljed inparallel relation to the driving shaft, a slidingly adjustable bearingfor one end of said countershaft, a series of friction wheels attachedto saidcountershaft, a series of intermediate idler wheels adapted tofric- Signed at Los Angeles, California, this tionally connect thewheels of the driving 12th day of August, 1911.

shaft with the wheels of the countershaft, LOUIS R. BLEITZ. adjustablecarriers for said intermediate LOUIS BLEITZ. idler wheels, and anoperative connection Witnesses:

between the countershaft and the driven W. H. SHOOK,

shaft, substantially as set forth. GEORGIA NOLAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

